Re: Speedster Kit
 

I built a speedster using the kit from Rootlieb which I bought through Bratton's. I have had it on the road for three years. My wife and I have a great time with it. It is a crowd pleaser. Not many speedsters in this part of the country. Howie

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Some questions for anyone who has done a Rootlieb speedster...can you buy the modified spark and throttle controls you need to install?
What is involved in repositioning the pedals?
Where do you get the resized steering arm?

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Howie,
That is a beautiful car!!!

Mike

Re: Speedster Kit
 

I have a little homemade bell crank linkage that is attached to the top of the engine.
There is no need to change the brake and clutch pedals. For the gas I am using a Fulton pedal with a linkage about four inches long.
Cut the original and weld in an extension section as required.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

That is what I did to, I turned a ring that fit over a head nut, made a small divot in the nut for the head of a screw to fit into, and made a Bell-crank that attached to the ring to transfer the linkage over the head. Locknuts and loctite seem as though it will keep in place.

I guess you can simply bend the Spark Advance rod. Most sane folks do,:p but I really do not like the looks of the bent rod. I used a throttle rod set to each side of the Bell-crank.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Howie, that Speedster is very nice! What color is it? I am leaning towards Sage Green for mine.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Looks great howie.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

The color is called Cactus green. It was a Ford pick-up color from the 70's. The fenders and splash aprons are black. Hood, fenders and trunk are pinstriped in red to match the wheels. Ford script on the gas tank is also matching red. I extended the spark and throttle linkage by cutting in the middle and making a sleeve to go in between. The spark linkage had to be bent for clearance. I was not able to make the pedals work by bending alone. I had to cut them and weld in a piece to extend them. The drag link was cut and a piece welded in to extend it the same amount the steering box was moved.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Thank you Howie for the additional information. You did a nice job on it, feel free to post additional photos or a photo album. If possible, I would appreciate seeing more of it.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Note the dog leg put into the chassis by the foot step on this speedster at Model A Day in Sharon, WI a while back. It did a nice job of lowering the car by 3 or 4 inches.

Attachment 153466

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THAT is one sharp speedster!

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.great combination of design and skill... thanks to all

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If you want to see a sharp Model A Speedster, look here:

http://www.themotoringjournal.com/fe...speedster.html

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Is there a reason that speedsters are mostly all 28/29. I have been having an urge to build a 31 speedster. Maybe with some 32 parts and a B engine and trans with later gears. Has anyone suggestions or pictures?

Re: Speedster Kit
 

I believe it's the stock radiator height.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

It is because Rootlieb is the only one currently building a kit, and their kit uses the 28~29 Radiator. I am building a '31, although it uses an A engine and Chassis it is probably crossing the line into a Hot Rod, but I think that line is pretty thin where Model A Speedsters are concerned.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

I have silently watched this thread, not wanting to interfere with the sale and enjoyment of the speedster originally discussed, until it was stated that there was only one builder of speedster "kits". I still don't want to interfere, but there is certainly more than one builder. For your enjoyment have a look at www.olympic-speedsters.com and call or email them if you want more pics . BTW, somewhere in the website there is a statement indicating that for administrative reasons, the shop is closed. Nope, the shop is very busy. Also, BTW, the reason the '28/'29 radiator is chosen is because it sits more than an inch lower than the later ones and makes the whole body lower.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Thank you Jim, I had forgotten about Olympia. Although I did not know that they built a "Kit" as. I indicated that Rootlieb does. I have not seen kits for sale on their website. They gave me the impression that they are a contract fabrication shop.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

I can't find anything I don't like about this one.
I have many pics of this one saved to my laptop

Re: Speedster Kit
 

That #7 is one sharp speedster. Are there more detailed pictures of that car? I like the way that the body seems to fall below the frame. I wonder if he widened the frame to get seating for 2 in the cockpit. More detail would be appreciated.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Speedsters are fun, here are some pictures of a couple that my father and I have built together. The first was a partially built Rootlieb kit where the folks building it "lost some parts". We took it apart and redid it the way we wanted to, using a '40 Buick hood for the tail.

The second is the red one, built from the ground up using a "hot rod cast-off" chassis using a '41 Ford hood for the tail.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Just wondering, what goes between the plywood deck and the frame on these kits? Is there some form of crossmembers or spacers of some sort?

Re: Speedster Kit
 

The kit that I disassembled just had something like a welting material in between. Nothing substantial. The rear plywood had been cut to allow the hump of the rear crossmember through.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

A question for anyone with a Rootlieb speedster...how large are the seat buckets?

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Thanks. Those pictures on the dirt track are cool!

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You mean width? I'll measure mine for you when I get home.

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Thanks. I need to know if MY bucket will fit in one, or if I will have to come up with a bench seat like Mike has...:rolleyes:

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The shell is 20" wide and I have an inch of upholstery on each side, so it's about 18" on mine.

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Looks like it's going to be a bench seat for me! :eek:

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Q Golden, Thanks for the comments. I am attaching a few more pictures. Howie.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

I was in pretty much the same boat until I came up with this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-T-Ford...item258326d286

I just noticed the ePay price is $55 more than their website price.


I've had mine for about 6 years and quite a few miles. Have some good foam in the upholstery and is comfortable. I'm 6'2" and 230#.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

You really don't want a bench seat! You will slide around and not enjoy the speedster. Just start with some metal and wrap it around you and go from there. They are really fun to build!

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Hey Howie, is that Ford logo on the gas tank a decal or a custom job?

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Thanks for the inspiration! Where does your Starter Rod go? It looks lengthened and is a a high angle.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

The Ford logo was hand painted by the pinstriper. He did a beautiful job. I kept the choke and starter rods as close to original angle as I could determine. They run through the firewall with steel guide plates. The starter rod is just round stock threaded to screw into the starter switch with a wooden handle on top. With the firewall set back 3 inches, the starter rod enters behind the dash. I shortened a reproduction choke rod and made a longer sleeve using large diameter brake line. The GAV/choke rod also enters behind the dash. Operating the starter and choke at the same time is a stretch but I have long arms. I used a reproduction starter pedal as a gas pedal. I welded an extension to the stock throttle linkage and made a swivel for the pedal to screw into. I found all the final details to be the most enjoyable part of the project. This summer I added turn signals using a vintage turn signal unit and motorcycle signal lights mounted with custom made brackets. Thanks again for all the positive comments. Howie

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Latimore Valley fairgrounds in York Springs PA. Home of the Jalopy Showdown every May. A good time for sure.

Lots of info on it over on the HAMB.

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Ok speedster fans, I have started on my 31 frame. It is almost bare and needs blasting.
Going on vacation and will try to post some pics in Dec when I get closer.Will be using ft brakes only,don't know about wheels yet. I like the look of wide 5 for the rear. Will be reversing the ft spring eyes,possibly a t spring in the rear. May try swapping my 31 rad and grill for 28/9
How thick is the plywood base? How thick is the metal for the body ?Why do you need to move the steering back? Not a problem though.
I have a friend that is very good at fabrication work,and he is going to help.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

The deck for the Rootleib kit is made of 2 layers of 3/4 inch plywood. The top layer is one large piece, the bottom layer is smaller pieces placed for reinforcement. I am not sure of the sheet metal thickness. It is quite easily formed over the cowl and around the seats. In the kit, the hood is about 3 inches longer than stock and so the firewall is about 3 inches further back. That requires moving the steering column back. It also means changing the choke rod, starter rod, throttle and spark linkage. If you are not using the kit, you can do whatever you'd like. I saw a picture of a speedster built using a stock cowl and fenders and it looked really nice. You can be as creative as you want and that is the fun part. Howie

Re: Speedster Kit
 

I will be copying the kit .Lowering the steering is not a problem.

Have been doing some research on my fathers side. My GGfather had a body shop where they built truck bodies, and wagons. It's not a stretch that he built some car bodies. This will be the Jefferson Body Shop Spl, B'ham Al. Would have been est around 1915 I think. I have the st address.Colors will be red /cream,black lettering.

Is there any chance I could see what the bottom panel of ply looks like?

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Does this help?